Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

King

I leisurely navigate through the brightly lit aisles of the grocery store, my mind preoccupied and distant. My friends invited me out, but I turned them down. My mood has been sour for the past few days, ever since I left that lengthy voicemail apologizing to Willa. It's been five days exactly, and she still hasn't responded. Two home games have come and gone, and now I'm headed off to face the Vengeance in an away game in Arizona tomorrow morning. It seems my life is back to where it was before I met Willa.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, startling me out of my thoughts. Probably the guys with pictures showing me how much fun they're having. I've given up on hearing from the one person I want to hear from.

I pull it out to check the notification and my breath catches in my throat when I see a text from Willa. It simply reads, Meet me here , followed by GPS coordinates. Confusion clouds my mind as I stare at the message. Does this mean she's finally going to talk to me? Part of me wants to ignore it, to make her feel the same way she's made me feel these past few days, but I know that's not who I am.

Without hesitation, I reply: On my way.

Abandoning the items I had gathered for dinner, I exited the grocery store and hurried to my car. Once inside, I push the ignition, crank the heat and type the coordinates into my GPS. The drive is only about twenty minutes, but ominous dark clouds hang above, promising snowfall at any moment. It will be the first real snowfall of the year and I've been looking forward to it.

When I arrive at the destination, I realize it's a Christmas tree lot but not the same one I visited before. The air is filled with the crisp scent of pine and twinkle lights have been strung up everywhere. Stepping out of my car, I approach the fenced-off area and spot Willa standing near a cluster of fir trees. She looks breathtaking, bundled in a navy peacoat, a cream-colored scarf, and a red knit hat. Her cheeks are flushed from the cold, and her eyes shift until they land on me.

"Hey," she says softly, her breath visible in the chilly air. "Thank you for coming."

I nod, unable to find the words to respond. I'm not even sure if I should. There's a part of me that knows I've said everything I need to at this point.

She takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry it took me so long. I've been doing a lot of thinking and talking to Brittany, who made me realize how foolish I've been."

My chest, tight with anxiety, relaxes. A big part of me thought this was a formal goodbye, done in good grace with a face-to-face. I stay quiet, eagerly waiting for her to continue.

Willa gestures toward the trees. "I thought we could pick out your tree, if you still want to."

No, I want to hear more but I nod, motioning her down an aisle empty of other people. The trees are far too large for my condo, but they offer privacy. We walk through the rows, the tension between us palpable and unspoken. A gentle snow starts and I resist the urge to brush a flake that lands on Willa's cheek.

Instead, I watch as more float to the ground and finally, after what feels like an eternity, she breaks the silence. "I'm sorry, King," she says, her voice trembling. "My fears and insecurities got the best of me." She pauses, glancing up at me. "My past with Scott, and his words about you being a young, single athlete surrounded by women all the time… it really messed with my head. I was confused when I walked into your condo and wanted nothing more than to just sit down and purge all that out and then have you reassure me. But instead, I found Emily there and I don't know if I've ever been madder about anything in my life."

Her hands clench at her sides. "I know it was wrong of me to storm out and even more wrong not to stay and talk, but I was almost blind with the emotion of it all. In hindsight, I think it might be because I finally thought I'd found the one person I'm supposed to be with."

Her words touch me deeply. They're the words I've been wanting to hear and I reach out to touch her face, but she shakes her head. "Let me finish."

"Okay, finish," I say, but I take her hand, unwilling to not touch her.

She smiles at me, amused. "I've thought a lot these last few days. I had to really think about who you are as a person, the man I've come to know." The chilled breeze rustles through her hair as she gazes up at me with regret-filled eyes. "You mean everything to me, King, and the thought of not being with you is unbearable." A single tear slips down her cheek and I don't hold back on my touch. I wipe it off with a bare finger. "I should have stayed and talked things out instead of running away. I'm truly sorry."

I swallow hard as Willa's words wash over me. Her apology is sincere—I can see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice. The snow falls heavier as we face each other and my heart aches at the sight of her sadness.

Cupping her cheeks in my hands, I bend closer to her. "Thank you for saying that. And I understand where you're coming from. I can totally see how all of those events were overwhelming to you."

She nods in relief, a tiny laugh coming out. "I was so afraid I'd waited too long to tell you this."

"I'd wait forever for you," I assure her. "And I need to know that you know that I would never do anything to hurt you. I'll never keep anything from you again, no matter how small it is. You're my person and I'll share everything with you. I've missed you, babe."

Another laugh, this time punctuated with a tiny sob that she quickly reins in. "I've missed you. You're my person too. And… well, I love you, King. Please forgive me for doubting you. For doubting us."

My head swims at her admission. In my wildest dreams, I didn't think I'd hear her say those words. Despite the strides she's made after exiting an abusive relationship and her past dysfunctional family life, I thought this would be a long work-in-progress and I was willing to be patient.

But now I can't stop myself. I jerk her into a hug and press my face into her neck. "I love you too, Willa. So much."

She pulls back, lifts her face to me. "Let's make this work," she whispers.

"Together," I agree, feeling like I could conquer the world right now.

Our lips meet in a slow, tender kiss, filled with promises of a brighter future. Snow hits my face but I ignore it.

Just as I ignore a family walking by us and the kids giggling as we kiss. Finally, I release her and ask, "Shall we get a tree?"

Willa beams at me. "I think we shall."

Hand in hand, we turn back toward the rows, ready to pick out our first Christmas tree together, or at least the first for my condo. She and Brittany already have their tree, but who knows… maybe this time next year, there will only be one tree needed for Willa and me.

We walk through the lot, surrounded by the fresh scent of pine, the falling snow setting the stage for a winter wonderland. Each tree looks perfect in its own right, even the ones with holes and flaws. They have character.

"Do you have a favorite?" I ask Willa playfully, squeezing her hand.

Willa smiles up at me, her eyes shining with excitement. "Something tall and full."

I scan the rows of trees until I spot the perfect candidate. "How about that one?" I point to a tall, full Fraser fir, its branches coated with a dusting of snow.

Willa's face lights up. "That's the one."

We call over a worker to wrap the tree for us. As we wait, Willa turns to me with a determined expression. "I want you to know that I'm going to work on my insecurities. I don't want my past to affect our future."

"I won't let it," I promise her. "But honestly, it won't be that difficult. You're one of the strongest, most determined and resilient women I know. We got this."

"Yes, we do," she says.

The worker expertly secures the massive Christmas tree to the roof of my car and then I walk Willa to hers. "Follow me to my place?"

She nods before stepping into my arms for a hug. "I'll be right behind you."

"I missed you," I say, squeezing her tight. She melts into me effortlessly, her warmth radiating through my body despite the bite in the air.

"So you said," she whispers with her cheek against my chest, her breath forming small puffs of mist. "But I'll never get tired of hearing it."

We stand there for a moment, reveling in each other's presence, while the snow falls around us. This moment feels like a promise of more to come, a new beginning wrapped in the magic of the holiday season.

"Ready to take our tree home?" I ask, stepping back to look at her with adoration.

Willa nods eagerly, her tears now replaced with a glowing smile. "Yes. Let's go home and make some memories."

We share another tender kiss and I know that we'll be okay. We're stronger together and nothing can break us apart.

Rafferty Abrams isn't one to shy away from the attention of a beautiful woman, but one night puts him firmly in the crosshairs of a very persistent admirer. A moment of desperation and one unsuspecting acquaintance later, he has the perfect solution—a fake girlfriend. Rafferty is a standalone, fake relationship hockey romance within the Pittsburgh Titans series.